Rose of Seven Seals
Ritual

n.d.

Opening

Seven raps call the council together. The Princess Excellent Rose lays the Bible on the altar open at the 6th chapter of Rev. and places 7 candles on the Most Excellent station in the east, and the Select station in the west and the Secret station in the south and the Perfect station in the east.
The Book of Constitution at the Erect Excellent Station, Ritual on each of the four stations.
The Most Excellent raps two with the gavel. The Perfect Excellent makes two raps with the gavel, calling all members to their feet, each making due guard sign of the Rose of Seven Seals.
Most Excellent Rose: Are you satisfied that all within the sacred college are Roses of the Seven Seals?
Select Excellent Rose: Most Excellent Rose, I will assure myself.
Honorable Secret of Secrets: Satisfy yourself that all present have been exalted to the last degree of the Roses of the Seven Seals.
Honorable Secrets passes around the room and takes the pass and then causes the Honorable Ass’t Secrets to secure the door.
Honorable Secret of Secrets: Select Excellent Rose, all present are members of the Rose of the Seven Seals and entitled to be present.
Select Excellent Rose: Most Excellent Rose, all members present are members of the Roses of Seven Seals and entitled to be present and we are secure by the Honorable Secret of Secrets.
Most Excellent Rose: ‘tis well from whence came you?
Select Excellent Rose: From the cradle passing through life to the grave.
Most Excellent Rose: Your duty?
Select Excellent Rose: To aid the suffering of humanity through life.
Most Excellent Rose: What is the hour?
Select Excellent Rose: The fifth hour since the rising of the sun it is now time for us to begin our duties.
Most Excellent Rose: and those duties are to God, our fellow man and our Order.
Select Excellent Rose strikes **** * ** with her gavel.
Most Excellent Rose strikes **** * ** with her gavel.
Most Excellent Rose: Brethren and Excellent Roses to order. All rise. Let us pray.
All kneel and face the East while the Wise Excellent Rose Chaplain goes before the altar. Will read a verse of the 6th chapter of Revelations. Kneels and offers prayer.
After prayer all say: Amen, amen, amen, amen.
Most Excellent officers and members of the College, we have been assured by the Secret Excellent Rose and her assistants that we are secure and by the High Power and Authority invested in me, I declare the College duly opened.
All repeat the motto of the Order five times: The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want.
Most Excellent Rose will make the due guard sign and announce that the College is open for business.
Most Excellent to Princess Excellent: You will inspect the outer Chamber of the College to ascertain if there are any candidates waiting for reception. If so, you will kindly report the name of person, name of court or lodge and number from whence they hail. Should you need any assistance, the Worthy Excellent Rose will accompany you to prepare the candidates.
When the candidates are prepared, the Princess Excellent will alarm the door with three raps, the Honorable Secret of Secrets will answer with four raps, and reply: Who is this that alarms our college?
Princess Excellent answers: It is one who comes all the way from the Royal house of the Courts, the Home of the Sphinx, and desires to gain admission here with us.
The Inside Guard: Has she been vouched for?
Answer: She has.
Question: Is she qualified?
Answer: She is. Let her wait with patience until the Most Excellent is informed of this request.
The Honorable Secret of Secrets reports to the Most Excellent that the candidate has met all qualifications and is prepared for the reception.
Most Excellent to the Honorable Secret of Secrets: You will make the necessary inspection. If she is willing to submit, then you may admit her.
Honorable Secret of Secrets returns to the door, makes four raps on the door and says to the candidate: Is this your own voluntary petition that you seek admission here with us?
Candidate answers: Yes, it is.
Honorable Secret of Secrets: Honorable, is it your intention to submit to our laws, rules and regulations?
Candidate: It is.
Honorable Secret of Secrets: Is it your intention to be good and true and support this College work to the best of your ability?
Candidate: It is.
Honorable Secret of Secrets: Since you have consented to become united with us, I will instruct the Prince Excellent to carry you through the halls of science, into the chambers of culture where the door will open wide to every delightful inquirer. The place where the truth will be fully explained. I shall leave you here alone with the Prince Excellent and when you hear the sound of the gavel, you will proceed on your journey with us.
The Honorable Secret of Secrets returns and makes the report approving the candidate. The Most Excellent sounds the gavel four times, the door is opened, the Prince Excellent enters with the candidate, she is led to the station in the west, while all the members continue singing, where the first seal is read, then to the east where the second and third seals are read, to the south where the fourth and fifth seals are read, to the north where the 6th and 7th seals are read by …, then the Most Excellent rises and makes the following address: Friends, you stand before us seeking admission into the College, we trust that your motives are good, that your hearts are true, and that it is your intention to look to the great light of reason, to the gracious Being above, and to follow in full submission wherever His will may lead. We do pray that your solemn engagement and the work of today will be long remembered by you; we further pray that our ceremonies will be of much benefit to you, a lesson that you may learn in this college wilt serve to lift a fallen race and prove beneficial to the future generation yet unborn. We notice in your petition that you have traveled through the royal
roads and many scenes and journeys to this College.
Beware, my friends, ever remember we bear each other’s burdens, we share each other’s sorrows, we share each other’s joy and happiness, we look to the bright side of life, we attempt to send a ray of sunshine through every home, to make each happy, vie visit the sick, we keep a watchful eye over the ‘widows and orphans, we honor the sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, and the Illustrious Inspectors General of the A. A. and S. Rite, 33rd, we stand ready at all times to defend their cause, we support our Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander, for under his watchful care we are surely protected. His hand sways over a destiny of a great nation. 1 cannot invoke for you any greater genuii than that of a homely virtue who sold his truth. So go yonder my sister where you have traveled before, stand this trial, stand this test and when you have been placed at the Altar on both knees, I do pray that The Great God, the ruler of the human destiny will have mercy on you. You may pray in silence, and when you have finished you may raise your right hand.
Candidate is carried through a rough and rugged road until she reaches the Altar, she is told to fall upon her knees, and to pray for herself, finally, when her hand is raised, she is brought back to the Most Secret Excellent Station where she is given the bread of life. This is a small piece of bitter apple. She is taken to the next station where she is pitied, they tell her to take a drink that she may not taste of such any longer. But this drink is a little warm water with a little Epsom salts in it. She is carried to the next station, this being the Most Excellent Station, she is told to kiss the Seven Seals to show that she will never reveal what transpired in the College. But this seal is that of one pod of red pepper. At the close of this seal, she is sent to the altar to take an obligation. On the Altar rest the Holy Bible opened on the 6th chapter of Revelation, with seven candles burning, and incense. And she contracts the following obligations:
I, …, in the presence of the witnesses around me, do promise to adhere to the principles of the College and its teachings, to obey its laws, rules and regulations. I further promise never to reveal the secrets of this work unless he or she is lawfully entitled as I am myself. I further promise to stand by the Sublime Prince of the Royal Secrets and the Inspector General, 33rd and last degree. I promise to visit the College which I may be a member of, and I will visit the sick and contribute as freely as possible. All this I most solemnly declare so help me God. She kisses the Seal. The candidate is uncovered, she discovers the seven candles burning, she sees the incense burning and on each of the four stations she discovers the candles burning. Total number of candles burning at that time is fourteen. She is told to look to the north, she is saluted by the Most Excellent who gives her the signs, being assisted by the Secret Excellent arid Select Excellent.

Sign and Word of the Rose
Place your left hand on the left side of your head, fingers closed and looking down. The word is, I see. The answer is made by the right hand resting on the right hip, four fingers closed, thumb in a perpendicular position. The word is: I have.

Obligation of the Seven and Seals
I, ..., of my own free will and accord, in the presence of the Almighty God and the witnesses around me, do hereby solemnly promise as I have heretofore done with this additional, that I will not speak evil against my sister or brother; but will strive to keep peace and harmony within the ranks, and I will not violate any laws, rules or regulations of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite but will answer to all summons and obey all proclamations handed to me, incoming from the legal and lawful authority. I further promise that I will never give my consent to making of any unworthy character nor to any person who is not lawfully entitled to receive this degree.
I further promise to support the United Supreme Council of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masons and this College work whenever I am called on and defend its cause, to contribute when I can do so without material injury to myself, to support our Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander, our Most Supreme Excellent Rose whenever called upon, all of this I solemnly promise without the least evasion, so help me God, and keep me steadfast, this my solemn obligation. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Sign and Work
Candidate looking to the East, she discovers the Most Excellent with her right foot crossed over left, with thumb of the hand under the left eye, the index curved over the left eye. The word is: I know. Answer: I will, made by the Most Select Rose, with her foot over her right, with her right thumb under the right eye, the index finger curved above.

Dialogue
Most Excellent to Select Excellent: Are you a Rose?
Select Excellent: I have viewed the Seals.
Most Excellent: I see the Seven.
Select Excellent: I know where the roses bloom, can you tell me.
Most Excellent: I will with your assistance.
Select Excellent: C O L.
Most Excellent: L E G E. They both spell College.
Select Excellent: You are a Prince.
Most Excellent: I am first among my equals, I have stood the test.
Select Excellent: Then you are a Prince from Jerusalem.
Most Excellent: I have borne the burden, I have loosed the slaves, I have freed the nation.

Hand-shake
Join the index finger of the right hand, the first makes four taps with the thumb on the hand, the second makes three raps, the first says Rose, the second says Seven, both say Seals.

Duty of Officers
Most Excellent Advisor: Must be a member of a Consistory in good and regular standing with the Supreme Council. His duty is to act as advisor to the Most Excellent Rose and the College.
Most Excellent Rose is the presiding officer.
Select Excellent Rose is the second officer.
Secret Excellent Rose, third officer.
Perfect Excellent Rose, fourth officer,
Erect Excellent Rose, secretary.
Honorable Excellent Rose, treasurer.
Most Wise Excellent Rose, Chaplain.
Honorable Secret o Secrets, Inner door.
Assistant Secret of Secrets, Outer door.
Princess Excellent Rose, attendant of the Most Excellent Rose.
Worthy Excellent Rose, attendant of Secret Excellent Rose.
Assistant Worthy Excellent Rose, attendant on Select Excellent Rose.
Royal Excellent Rose, attendant on Perfect Excellent Rose.
Most Excellent Rose: Select Excellent Rose, your duty?
Select Excellent Rose: To combat for God, my country and for the sacred principles of our Order. The morning sun lights our College.
Most Excellent Rose: Since the morning sun has risen and shines over our College, let us rise and diffuse the light of knowledge over those minds darkened by ignorance. Strikes two raps with her gavel.
Most Excellent Rose: What is the mystic number of our College?
Select Excellent Rose: Seven.
 

Closing Ceremony

Most Excellent Rose: Select Excellent inform the Honorable Secret of Secrets that we are about to close our College and advise her to let no intrusion be made from without. Orders obeyed.
Select Excellent Rose: Most Excellent Rose, your orders have been obeyed.
Most Excellent Rose: Select Excellent Rose, inform the sisters that I am about to close this College by the mystic numbers.
Most Excellent Rose strikes **** * ** with her gavel.
Select Excellent Rose repeats the same with her gavel.
Most Excellent Rose: Let us pray.
Lead us in prayer wise Excellent Rose Chaplain.
After prayer all say: Amen, amen, amen, amen, The Lord Is My Shepherd and I Shall Not Want.
Most Excellent Rose: Roses you will now retire again to busy haunts of life and prove to the world that we are worthy of our mission, and God be with you until we meet again. Then shake hands and retire.

Home